Circuit breaker



Feb. 24, E. "r. PLATZ 2,274,159

/CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Feb. 10, 1940 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 III] IT I i m E4? 1I l i l 1 I i 10 i v "ll$l1l' I 3! Inventor (Ittomeg Feb. 24, 1942. E.'r. PLA'I2 2,274,159

CIRCUIT i BREAKER Filed Feb. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet Ety- 4.

lnventor 52 r at (Ittorneg Patented Feb. 24, 1942 CIRCUIT BREAKER Elwood'l. Plats.

Electric Detroit, Mich, assignor to Products Company, Detroit,

Bulldog ma. a corporation of West Virginia Application February 10,1940, Serial No. 318,270

13 Claims. (01. 200-172) This application relates to switches and moreparticularly to tie means for intersecuring adiacent switch handleswhereby they may be moved as a unit.

In a prior. application, Serial No. 302,783, filed November 3, 1939,there is disclosed a switch or circuit breaker having a casing II inwhich is a snap action rocker handle I! for manipulating the contacts,with the handle being constructed to rock about a -transverse pivotalaxis l4 and to be manipulable only by a push on either end, and with thehandle being so formed that it can not be gripped at either end forrestraining its motion. The handle is formed with a transverse groove 42on its face. parallel to the pivot axis N, with the ends of the grooveundercut as at 43.

The tie means hereof is primarily intended to be used with handles ofthe character just described when switches having such handles aredisposed side by side, substantially as indicated in Fig. l of anotherpending application, Serial No. 232,806, filed October 1, 1938, whichshows adjacent handles l2, each of a rocker type, and each pivoted on anaxis ll.

For an understanding of the tie means herein disclosed, reference shouldbe had to the appended drawings disclosing two embodiments of tie meansof the invention. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view of part of a panel of switching units showing twounits having their handles tied together by one form of tie means;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the tie means of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. l but showing a different form of tie means;

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows the tie means of Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that these show two adjacentcircuit controlling snap switches having casings ll formed with opensides normally closed by side plates ii. The handles I! are of therocker type and are constructed to rock about the same pivotal axis,formed by aligned pivots It, and are manipulable only by push on eitherend, being formed so that they can not be gripped at either end forrestraining their motion. Handle motion may be initiated by push oneither end of the handles, but is normally under the control of snapmeans, such as the springs disclosed at 2| in Serial No. 302,783, butwhich are not here disclosed, although it is understood that theswitches hereof are snap switches having springs operating to bias thehandles into either of their two extreme positions.

The handles have on their faces aligned transverse grooves parallel tothe pivot axis it with the ends of the groves undercut as at ll.

For connecting the handles so that they move as a unit two differentforms of tie means have been disclosed and these will now be described.

The tie means of Figs. 1 to 3 consists of a strap referenced generallyat I having portions :1 adapted to be disposed in the grooves 42 and ahumped bridging portion b adapted to bridge adjacent sides of adjacentswitches, the hump rigidifying the strap I as well as enhancing theappearance of the unit consisting of two handles tied by the strap.

The strap l is formed arcuately whereby it may be slid into the grooves42, but only when the handles are forcibly restrained in a neutralposition, between their extreme positions, so that the arc of the strapcan clear the forwardly built up portions 45 of the casings whichfunction to restrain the strap from sliding sidewise out of the grooveswhen the handles are in either of their two extreme positions.

Inasmuch as the switches are of the snap type, never remaining in theirneutral positions, except when forcibly restrained so to do, there is notendency or likelihood of the tie means sliding sidewise out of thegrooves in normal operation.

In the embodiment of Figs. 4 to 6 the tie means is a resilient, arcuatestrap referenced 2, and

includes portions i adapted to be disposed in the grooves 42 of theadjacent handles and be restrained there when the strap is expandedendwise by threading down of the screws 2 into the plates 3 so as tobias the edges 4 of the strap into the undercut ends 43 of the handlegrooves 42;

Portions 5 of the strap are formed to clear portions 45 of the casings.A window B exposes a legend card 1 disposed between the strap and theplates 3. v

The tie of Fig. 6, unlike the tie of Fig. 3, may be placed in adiacenthandle grooves forwardly and need not slide into these handle groovessidewise, however requlring manipulation of screws 2 for finallycompleting the operation of associating the tie with adjacent handles.

Now having described the tie means herein disclosed, reference should behad to the claims which follow:

I claim:

1. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transversepivotal axes and to be manlpulable by a push on either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to the pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the sides of the casingsbeing built up to close the sides of the grooves and thus restrain thetie means from sliding side- Wise out of said grooves when the handlesare in either of their two extreme positions, the switches having snapmeans for biasing the handles into either of such two positions.

2. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transversepivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to the pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the sides of the casingsbeing built up to close the sides of the grooves and thus restrain thetie means from sliding sidewise out of said grooves when the handles arein either of their two extreme positions, the switches having snap meansfor biasing the handles into either of such two positions, with theproportions of th parts being such that when the handles are forciblyrestrained in neutral positions, between their extreme positions, thetie means can slide into and out of said grooves sidewise.

3. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transversepivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to the pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the sides of the casingsbeing built up to close the sides of the grooves and thus restrain thetie means from sliding sidewise out of said grooves when the handles arein either of their two extreme positions, the switches having snap meansfor biasing the handles into either of such two positions, the tie meansbeing resilient and so formed that normally it is contractedsufficiently to permit it to be entered into the grooves forwardly, andmeans for expanding the tie means so as to project its end edges intothe ends of the grooves under spring tension for interlocking the tiemeans and the handles.

4. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transversepivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to th pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the sides of the casingsbeing built up to close the sides of the grooves and thus restrain thetie means from sliding sidewise out of said grooves when the handles arein either of their two extreme positions, the switches having snap meansfor biasing the handles into either of such two positions, the tie meansbeing resilient and so formed that. normally it is contractedsufllclently to permit it to be entered into the grooves forwardly, andmeans for expanding the tie means so as to project its end edges intothe ends of the grooves under spring tension for interlocking the tiemeans and the handles, comprising plates disposed in back of the tiemeans and receiving shanks of screws threaded into them and havingforwardly exposed heads.

5. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transj versepivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on'either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to the pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the sides of the casingsbeing built up to close thesides of the grooves and thus restrain thetie means from sliding sidewise out of said grooves when the handles arein either of their two extreme positions, the switches having snap meansfor biasing the handles into either of such two positions, the tie meansbeing resilient and so formed that normally it is contractedsufficiently to permit it to be entered into the grooves forwardly, andmeans for expanding the tie means so as to project its end edges intothe ends of the grooves under spring tension for interlocking the tiemeans and the handles, comprising plates disposed in back of the tiemeans and receiving shanks of screws threaded into them and havingforwardly exposed heads, the tie means having a window, and a legendcard disposed between the plates and the tie means.

6. Adjacent exposed switch handles having forwardly open aligned grooveswith undercut ends, and tie means in said grooves, with its ends in theundercut ends of the grooves so that the tie means is interlockedagainst forward removal accidentally from the grooves.

'7. Adjacent exposed switch handles having forwardly open alignedgrooves with undercut ends, and tie means in said grooves, with its endsin the undercut ends of the grooves so that the tie means is interlockedagainst forward removal accidentally from the grooves, and meanscomprising casing side walls for retaining the tie means againstsidewise removal accidentally from the grooves.

8. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transversepivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to the pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves.

9. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switches havingcasings, handles therein constructed to rock about aligned transversepivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end, and havingaligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to the pivot axes,with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means for intersecuringthe handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strap disposed inthe grooves and extending across the handles and having its end edgesdisposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the tie means comprising aspringy metal strap having an inherent tendency to expand, after beingcontracted, so that its ends remain in the undercut ends of the handlegrooves.

10. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switcheshaving casings, handles therein constructed to rock about alignedtransverse pivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end,and having aligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to thepivot axes, with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means forintersecuring the handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strapdisposed in the grooves and extending across the handles and having itsend edges disposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the tie meanscomprising a springy metal strap having an inherent tendency to contractand free its ends from the undercut ends of the grooves, and meansmanipulable for expanding the strap and holding it expanded so that itsends move into and remain in the ends of the grooves.

11. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switcheshaving casings, handles therein constructed to rock about alignedtransverse pivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end,and having aligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to thepivot axes, with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means forintersecuring the handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strapdisposed in the grooves and extending across the handles and having itsend edges disposed in the undercut ends 01 the grooves, and meanscomprising casing side walls for retaining the tie means againstsidewise removal accidentally from the grooves.

12. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switcheshaving casings, handles therein constructed to rock about alignedtransverse pivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end,and having aligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to thepivot axes, with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means forintersecuring the handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strapdisposed in the grooves and extending across the handles and having itsend edges disposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the tie meanscomprising a springy metal strap having an inherent tendency to expand,after being contracted, so that its ends remain in the undercut ends ofthe handle grooves, and means comprising casing side walls for retainingthe tie means against sidewise removal accidentally from the grooves.

13. In combination, two adjacent circuit controlling snap switcheshaving casings, handles therein constructed to rock about alignedtransverse pivotal axes and to be manipulable by a push on either end,and having aligned transverse grooves on their faces parallel to thepivot axes, with the ends of the grooves undercut, and a tie means forintersecuring the handles so that they move as a unit comprising a strapdisposed in the grooves and extending across the handles and having itsend edges disposed in the undercut ends of the grooves, the tie meanscomprising a springy metal strap having an inherent tendency to contractand free its ends from the undercut ends of the grooves, and meansmanipulable for expanding the strap and holding it expanded so that itsends move into and remain in the ends of the grooves, and meanscomprising casing side walls for retaining the tie means againstsidewise removal accidentally from the grooves.

ELWOOD T. PLATZ.

